How Does the Bose SoundLink Work?

Many electronics stores sell speakers that connect wirelessly to audio sources using Bluetooth. The SoundLink Air system, on the other hand, uses AirPlay to stream audio through the air. Airplay, a technology that Apple created, lets computers and iOS devices such as iPhones use wireless networks to send audio and video to remote devices. SoundLink Air systems and other products that are AirPlay compatible can play those streams after people configure them.

Bose waveguide speaker technology helps generate the deep rich sounds you hear in its SoundLink Air system and other Bose speakers. The company's WaveGuide Technology page explains waveguide technology by describing how flutes, which are actually acoustic waveguide devices, can fill a room with sound. Bose used the same acoustic waveguide principle to discover how to move air efficiently inside a folded tube that contains a small speaker. Because the SoundLink Air System uses this technology, you can enjoy music from a small speaker that sounds like it's coming from a larger one.

If you don't have an iOS device, you can still stream audio to a SoundLink Air system by installing iTunes on your computer and streaming it from there. You don't need to be an electronics expert to set up your system. Simply connect the SoundLink Air system to your computer using a USB plug, visit Bose’s SoundLink Air Wi-Fi Setup Application Web page and follow the instructions to configure your system. If you do have an iPad or other iOS device, the SoundLink Air system transforms the iOS device into your own portable stereo system that you can take wherever you go.

Use a wireless system such as the SoundLink Air system, and any room becomes an audio room. Because the system picks up audio over the airways, you don't have to cut holes in walls or run cables and wires to remote speakers to listen to audio in other rooms. You may also enjoy the SoundLink Air system's portability. If you visit friends who use iTunes, everyone can enjoy a portable sound system that they can move around the home.

The SoundLink Air system comes with a power supply that has interchangeable plugs. These plugs enable you to adjust the unit as needed when you travel to countries that use different electrical systems. If you'd like to place the SoundLink Air system in a room without connecting it to a power supply, you can purchase an optional rechargeable battery. You can also stream music to multiple rooms by purchasing additional SoundLink Air systems and connecting them to your wireless network.